Socket for incandescent electric lamps.



. J.. K. 'LUX. v SOCKET FOR INGANDESOBNT ELECTRIC LAMPS. APPLICATION FILED MAR..7, 190a RENEWED JULY 23,1910.

1,055,062. I Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

' UNITED sTATEs PATENT'OFFICE.

JULIUS K. LUX, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO PASS & SEYMOUR, I NC., 0F SOLVAY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION.

SOCKET FOR INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS.

l All-35,062.

Application filed March Be it known that I, Jinnis K. law, a citizen of the United .States, residing at Syracuse. in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sockets for Incandescent Electric Lamps, of which the following is aspecification.

I v invention relates to key-sockets for incandescent electric lamps, and particularly to those having the switch operated by a re ciprocating, or push-button mechanism, in distinction to a rotary mechanism. Heretofore and at present, the large majority of such key sockets are operated by rotating keys and thumb-pieces, which are well enough when the socket is supported on an electrolier, or other fixed support, but when, as common, the socket is on the end of pendent conductors, it is inconvenient and ditlicult to turn the switch, without the use of both hands to hold and steady the socket.

My invention will be understood from the drawing herewith in which the reference letters and numerals of the description indicate the corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the socket herewith. Fig. 2 is'a similar elevation with the inc-losing shell in section and portions broken away. Fig. 3 is an elevation substantially at a rightangle to Big. '2, with the shell removed, and a portion broken away. Fig. -l is a longitudinal section of my socket. Fig. 5 is a similar section at a right angle to Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan otthe upper block, with a portion of the main spring broken away. Fig. 7 is a top plan of the lower block with the attached parts. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the switch mechanism detached.

The insulating base or body of the socket is composedot' the upper. and lower blocks A and Bot porcelain, or other suitable insulating material, which blocks are set together and. secured by suitable screws, 1, and.

2, to form a substantially cylindrical base carrying the switch, wire terminals, and lamp terminals, and largely'protect-ing those metallic parts.

To describe the various details of construction-of the device here shown, which embodies in a strong, compact, practical and desirable form, the various features'of my invention-l have here shown the elen'ients of the switchsecured onthe upper block by Specification of Letters Patent.

end of the spindle.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

7, 1908, Serial No. 419,786. Renewed July 23, 1910. Serial No. 573,538.'

short screws, 3 and t. These parts or elements are the yoke piece (3 provided with theshort arm 8 and the long arm 9. having the integral wire terminal it). Between these-arms is ournaled the spindle, or shaft. .12 carrying at 1ts center a fixed pinion 18,

at one end of the collar let for maintaining the spindle in its bearings and at the other end a loose block or cam 15, having a notch 16 on its inner edge, in which is arranged a small pin 17 in the shaft whereby the cam is turned and maintained in position at. the

On t-helong arm-is secured a flat contact spring 19, which extends toward the other arm where its enlarged end is arranged over the cam, a notch 20 atthe end of recess 4:8 being formed in the lower block to receive said end and cam. The yoke'carrying these parts is secured in the transverse groove 22 by the said screws 3 and 4:; this groove has the exterior enlargement 23 at one end to receive the wire terminal 10. In a slot 25 transverse to said groove is arranged the bar rack. 26 engaging with the pinion, for the purpose of rotating the cam a quarter turn and moving the spring in and out of contact. On each end of the rack are the insulating thumbpieces 27 extending outwardly through the usual inclosing shell. Curved notches 29 are formed in the block A at each end of the slot 25 to receive the thumb pieces, When alternately in inward position, and to limittheir move- I ment. I

The lower block is formed on its lower surface with the annular groove 31, between the margin 32 and the central stud 33. This annular groove is to receive the flange 35 0t the outer lamp terminal 36, secured in place by the screws 1 and 2,.inserted from the upper surface of the upper block. In a depression in said annular groove is arranged in contact with said lamp terminal the curved contact piece 38, also held in place by screw 1. From said contact piece the in-' "tegral wire terminal 40 extends through groove 41 in the lower block into notch 42 in the upper block.

43 and 44 are external per block for the wires to terminals.

. On the stud 33 is securedthe resilient, central lamp terminal. 45 by the screw 46 (and nut) which extends through the upper block, and carries on its upper end the small.

rooves in the upthe respective wire tit) springs are preferably made of tlatspring ilT arranged in the cross recess l8 in the upper surfa e of the lower block where it ma kes contact with the lnain spring I when the latter is forced down by the cam. Said. central terminal and the two copper.

The atoresaid parts are supported in the usual brass shell compost-d ot cap at and body .32 having opposite slots 53 for the tlnnnlepieces.

S-lis the usual insulating tiber lining for the cap and as for the upper part of the shell.

5t? a tiber lmshing outer lamp terminal.

The operation of the switch will be evident from this description. The socket hanging on the end of the conductors may be taken between the fingers of one hand secured around the and by pressing one tlmmb-pieee. being the one then outwardly extending beyond the shell. the rack is moved and the cam given a quarter turn to more the main spring down against the small flat spring. whereby the circuit is made; pressingthe other thumb piece breaks the circuit. notch 16 in the cam is larger than the spin-- dle pin 17 permits the cam to escape trom the control of the hand break.

This t'orm of switch is particularly atlapb ed to pendent work. where a rotary sw tch is undesirable bt ause not convenient to operate with one hand. \Vhen the rotar switch of a socket hung on conductors is operated without both hands. the socket and lamp are tilted with the etiect ot breaking or weakening the eont'lucting cords at the point entering the socket. It is common also to turn the key too t'ar weight ot the socketand the lamp. thus ren turn on the current.

Having thus tullydesrribed my invention what i claim and desire to protect by Letters Patient is:

1. In a key socket for an incandescent electric lamp. the combination with an insulating base having a transverse slot and recessed portions at either end of said slot, :1 bar arranged in said slot: and adapted to be reciprocatcd alternately in opposite directions. a contact spring forming one ,lcg ot' the circuit arranged on the base. said spring tending to spring out of circuit, engaging means operated by said bar when reciprw rated in one direction to actuate the spring piece to complete the circuit and insulated tluunb pieces on either end of the bar operating within said base recesses whereby the exposed portion of the bar will be constantly contained within the base said thumb pieces being adapted to engagement with the base to limit the reciprocal movement of the bar.

z. in a key socket for an in annleseent elec- The 't'act that the and make a spring I to overcome the i l t t t t t tric lamp the combination of an insulating base having a transverse slot enlarged at its opposite ends, a bar arranged in said slot and adapted to be reciprocated alternately in opposite directions. a contact spring secured on the base and arranged to form part of the circuit. a rotating part adapted to engage with the spring and operate it to make and br-ak the circuit. connections between the bar and the rotating part to rotate the latter. into and out ot. engagement with the .--.priug as the bar moved in one direction or the other and insulating thumb pieces arranged on the bar ends and operating within said slot enlargements whereby the expo ed portion of the bar will be constantly within the base. said thum pieces being adapted to engage the base to limit the rc riprocal movement of the bar.

it. In a key socket for an inramlescent electric lamp the combination with a base t'olnposet'l of two blocks of insulating material having a transverse cross groove and a slot arranged at right angles to each other said lt t being enlarged at its opposite ends and being formed in the surfaces in eontact ot' the two blocks. a eontatt spring 'lorming part ol' one leg of the circuit arranged n the base. said spring lending t spring out of circuit. a spindle suitably journaled in 1 the groove. a bar ar 'angetl in the slot. a cam i t i l l l l l i t bung loosely on the spindle. a pin on the spindle and arranged within a notch in the ram whereby the -am is moved into and out of engagement with the spring. a connection between the bar and the spindle whereby the spindle is rotated as the bar is reciprta'atcd. and insulated push buttons on the bar operating within said slot enlargements whereby the exposed portion of the bar will be etnistantly within the base, said dermg necessary more than one attempt to thumb pieces being adapted to engage the ase to limit the movement of the bar.

4. In an in andeseent. electric lamp socket, the combination with a base composed of two blocks of insulating material set in contact said blocks being formed with transverse openings between their engaging surfaces. the opening of one block being enlarged at its opposite ends, of wire and lamp terminals suitably" arranged n the base. a contact spring piece carried on the base. a yoke-carried on the base, one wire terminal being on the yoke. a contact spring on the yoke adjacent to the spring piece and normally out of contact therewith, a spindle journaled in the yoke, a cam on the spin dle arranged to engage with the ('outa rt spring and force said spring into engage mentwith the spring piece when the spirr dle. is rotated a pinion on the spindle. a rack bar in engagen'lent with the pinion and extending through the body and thumb pieces on the ends of the -ack bar operating within the enlarged portion of the block tefm inail,

; contract and brea air: 4 ii" f a t opening whereby e exposedportion of the ree tau.-villheceaetantlwtith n the b y, ae. l..t e ea sreesgating d n s e t. e wfl mti mean a 1e ar 1 -nd ishownim EL. tral chambenibetwen their :conl i 1.. :being formed witlli i a; cross gro ove, .a sk 0 it-he groove and eatch sa t the: entlspq tlio slog-01f V r liti'np terminals onthe lower ce 0' ti embloclnsa contact; piece from the, central lamp terminal 18 lQAQli alock intoithe chamber, r alcon ected 'tc the-outer lamp net groove, a second wire termiiial-on-tbe yoke, a; spindle 'o n naled iin;the yoke, a contact spring atgong e d of the yoke,tending to ontact with "the contact piece, 51 1113 lru-ngcir the spindle adjacent to the free end of the spring, a pinion on the spindle, a rack arrangedtinthe slotand en gagin with the pinion; and ia; thumb-piece on eac 1 end of the rack, whereby the rack is manic-a e (3. In a key-socket for an incandescent electric lamp, abaseot insulating material composed of two blocks set in contact, the upper block being formed on its lower surface with a cross'groove, with a slot transverse to the groove andwith notches at the ends of the slot, and the lower block with a recess on .its upper surface corresponding to the groove of-inner and outer lamp terminals on the lower surface of the lower block, a contact. piece extending ,from the central lamp terminal through the lower block into the recess, a wire terminal connected to the outer lamp terminal, a metallic yoke secured in the groove, a second wire terminal on the yoke, a spindle journaled in the yoke, a contact spring secured on one arm of the yoke and having its free end ex:

tending toward the other arm, said spring tending to contract and break contact with the contact piece, a cam hung loosely on the spindle adjacent to the free end of the spring, a pin on the spindle engaging in a notch in said cam, a pinion on the spindle, a rack arranged in the slot and engaging with the pinion and a thumb-piece on each end of the rack, whereby the rack is moved longitudinally in either direction, said thumb-pieces being arranged to engage with the inner walls of the notches and limit the movement of the rack, the spindle and the cam, substantially as described and shown.

7. In the switch mechanism of an incandescent electric lamp socket, the combination with a base composedoft wo blocks of naled in'the groove, a bar ar'anged in the }';,yoke secured in the insulating material set. in contact, said base havi-ng a transverse cross-groove and at-ransverse'slot, said groove and slot being arranged at a right angle to each other, ea'chextending through the base from side to side a'nd :beingformed in the surfaces in contact of the two blocks, a contact spring forming part of one leg of the circuit ar- "ranged: on the base, said spring tending to spring outof circuit, a spindle suitably jourslot, a cam hung loosely on the spindle, a pin on the spindle, and arranged in a notch in theQca-m, whereby the cam is anoved into and out of engagement with the spring, a connection between the bar and the spindle, whereby the spindle is rotated forward and back as the bar is reciprocated, and push buttons on the ends of the bar, the movement of the bar in either direction being limited by the engagement of the push but tons with the base, to permit a quarter turn of the spindle forward and back.

8. In an incandescent electric lampsocket,- the combination with a base composed ofjtwo blocks of insulating material, setin contact, said blocks being formed with openings between their engaging surfaces, of wire and lamp terminals suitably arranged on the base, a'contact spring piece 5 carried on the base, and connected to the inner lamp terminal. a yoke carried 'on the base, one wire terminal being on the yoke,

a contact spring on the yoke adjacent to the spring piece and normally out of contact therewith, a spindle journaled in the yoke, a cam on the spindle arranged to engage with the contact spring and force said spring into engagement with the springpiece when the spindle is rotated, a pinion on the spindle, a rack bar in engagement with the pinion and extending through the body and thumb pieces on the ends of the rack-piece, whereby the rack-bar may be moved in 'one direction to force the spring and spring piece into contact to complete the circuit and in the other direction to permit breaking of the circuit, said spring piece, yoke, spring spindle, cam, pinion and rack-bar being arranged in said openings, 1 5

substantially as described and shown.

9. In akey-socket, for an incandescent electric lamp, a base of insulating material composed of two blocks setin contactand being formed with a transverse slot, atransverse groove, a central chamber in their contacting surfaces, said slot and groove bisecting each other, of inner and outer lamp terminals on the lower surface of the lower block, a contact piece extending from the central lamp terminal through the lower block into the chamber, a wire terminal connected to the outer lamp terminal, a me tallic yoke secured in the groove, a second wire terminal on the yoke, a spindle jourthe spindle, a rack naled in the yoke, a contact spring on the yoke, tending to contract and break the circuit, a cam hung on the spindle adjacent to the free end of the spring, a pinion on arranged in the slot and engaging with the pinion, and a thumbpiece on each end. of the rack, whereby the rack is moved longitudinally in either direction to rotate the spindle and force the spring against the contact piece by the cam, substantially as described and shown.

10. In the switch mechanism of an incandescent electric lamp, the combination with a base of insulating material having a crossgroove and a slot transverse to the groove, a contact spring forming part of one leg of the circuit arranged on the base, said spring tending to spring out of circuit, a spindle suitably journaled in the groove, a bar ar ranged in the slot, a cam hung loosely on the spindle, a pin on the spindle, and arranged in a notch in the can], whereby the cam. is moved into and out of engagement with the spring, a connection between the bar and the spindle, whereby the spindle is rotated forward and back as the bar is reciproeated, and push buttons on the ends of the bar, the movement of the bar in either direction being limited by the engagement i l l l l l l i l l l l l l l l l l t of the push buttons with the base, to permit a quarter turn of the spindle forward and back.

11. In a key socket for incandescent electric lamps, two porcelain blocks set in contact and having a recess between them for the make-and-break mechanism. and said mechanism in said recess cmuprising a contact piece secured on the upper surface of the lower block, a yoke secured on the lower surface of the'upper block, a ci'intact spring secured on the yoke, a spindle journaled in the yoke, a cam loosely journaled on the spindle adjacent to the spring, a pinion fixed on the spindle, and a rack arranged transversely of the spindle in engagementwith the pinion, said rack having opposite ends extending outside of the socket for reciprocating the rack to rotate the cam to move the spring into contact with the eontact piece and to permit it to retract out of contact therewith.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULIUS K. LUX.

'itnesses:

B. E. Samsnum', \V. B. HUDSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 

